Roberts Radio Beacon 310 Bluetooth Speaker - Carbon Black

Product Information

The Beacon 330 is a respectable sounding portable speaker with great looks. How much that appeals depends on whether you value style as much as – if not more so – than the audio. You shouldn’t buy the Roberts Beacon 330 if… Each speaker will boasts a specially selected UK-milled speaker cloth (made in Yorkshire), that Roberts says will help the speaker produce optimal acoustic transparency for the “fullest audio experience”. You’ll get used to it, but it is an odd interface. Trying to remember the mode the speaker is in, or having to go through the process of pressing the buttons again feels like a chore. Having a long press of the power button to put it into Bluetooth mode, and changing the Bluetooth button to EQ would seem like a simpler solution.

When it comes to buying gadgets and technology products, particularly in the Speakers category it’s important to invest in good quality products. ROBERTS Beacon 310 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is no exception. There are a number of reasons why quality is so important when it comes to these types of products. Firstly, high-quality gadgets and technology products tend to be more reliable. This means that they are less likely to break down or malfunction. When you’re relying on a product for an important task, such as work or communication, reliability is key. Investing in a high-quality ROBERTS Beacon 310 Portable Bluetooth Speaker can give you peace of mind and help you avoid frustrating situations where your device fails you. Another important factor to consider is longevity. When you buy a high-quality ROBERTS Beacon 310 Portable Bluetooth Speaker, you’re making an investment that is likely to last longer. Cheaper products may seem like a good deal at the time, but they are often made with lower-quality materials and are not designed to last as long. This means that you may end up having to replace your device sooner, which can end up costing you more in the long run. Five EQ options – Normal, Classic, Bass Boost, Outdoors and Speech – can be cycled through by short-pressing the power button then either the volume up or down button. When you hit the power button, a small LED reveals which mode you’re currently using via a set of distinct flashing patterns.When it comes to classical music, the Roberts Beacon 330 performs better, sounding suitably balanced in terms of mids and lows, but it certainly isn't the kind of speaker that's aimed at a party environment.

That full audio experience is delivered from the unit’s full-range speaker that Roberts claims offers a rich, powerful and clear sound. Also inside are multi-directional dual bass radiators for bringing some more bass to the performance.

Mark Stephenson, Product Manager at Roberts commented: “The Roberts Beacon is designed for homes with character, and for individuals with a unique sense of style, who want to express themselves through design and sounds that excite the senses. The Robert Beacon represents the evolution of our nearly 90-year heritage in British design and creating the highest quality audio experiences.” Roberts says the material provides benefits to the sound for optimal acoustic transparency. At either end of the cloth are gold trims, with the logo at the bottom featured in a gleaming gold finish. Despite the use of plastic for the casing, it’s an eye-catching look.

Unlike other speakers in this price point, it's not rugged. There's no water resistance rating, and we don't really rate its chances in a fall but again – this is clearly a speaker aimed at remaining at home rather than being taken on your travels. The Beacon 330 pumps out a decent sound through its 45mm neodymium driver unit, but over the course of listening to it, it’s clear there’s something… missing. Still, looking so good and feeling like a quality daily speaker ensures that the Roberts Beacon 330 will still be appealing to many. Roberts clearly isn’t targeting the house-party crowd with the Beacon 330, instead seeking to please the discerning listener that likely makes up the majority of its consumer base. Even after taking this into account, I still feel the 330 would benefit from a bit of extra oomph across its EQ profiles.It gives a better impression of itself with its mid-range and treble performance. The mid-range offers decent amounts of detail and nice form with vocals – Jill Scott’s voice in He Loves Me [Lyzel in E Flat] is given space and clarity, and the same can be said for Sting’s Shape of My Heart and the Stereophonics’ Maybe Tomorrow. Treble is clear, defined and likable, neither bright nor harsh in how it’s described. It’s with slower-paced and relaxed tunes where the Beacon 330 finds its groove. So take your time to really understand the sort of product you’re looking for. Think about the sort of features that you need. Which ones are “nice-to-have” and which ones are absolutely critical. If you’re looking for a cheap option then don’t even consider the products that are all signing all dancing because you’ll be paying for features that you don’t need. Choose your retailer wisely As mentioned, you can link two Roberts Beacon 330 speakers together for a wireless stereo setup although we weren't able to test this for ourselves.

The three little circles in the indicate battery status, while the bars at the bottom are there to help decipher the speaker’s EQ mode. If I had to use one word to sum up audio quality, it would be restrained. The Beacon 330 doesn’t go particularly loud but is at least distortion-free at higher volumes. It’s capable of filling small rooms though there’s not the raw power needed to fill larger spaces with truly immersive sound. The Beacon 330 offers five EQ modes to choose from: Normal, Classic, Bass Boost, Outdoors and Speech. Press the power button – not too hard or long, or else you’ll turn the speaker off – and press either the volume “+” or “–” buttons once for Classic, twice for Bass Boost and four times for Outdoor mode. The small LED light beneath the Equalizer bar will flash a set number of times to indicate the mode the speaker is in.

Of all the sound profiles available, Normal and Classic are your best bets, with Classic adding a little more size and pushing out vocals more. Outdoor makes it sound bigger but also a little less defined, while Bass Boost makes the shallow bass slightly tighter but the vocals sound reined-in. They all sound fine, but neither mode grabs your attention. Around the rear is a USB-A port for charging a smartphone or other device, an aux port for a physical connection to another device, and the option to plug the Beacon 330 into the mains to recharge the battery. The EQ mode and USB-A charging port are exclusive to the Beacon 330, differentiating it from the Beacon 320. Roberts Beacon 330 features – Long battery life, plus EQ modes to adapt the sound In addition, high-quality gadgets and technology products tend to have better performance. This is particularly important for products that are used for tasks such as gaming, video editing, or graphic design. A high-quality ROBERTS Beacon 310 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is likely to have better specs and features, which will translate into better performance and a better user experience.